Tastes Like Wallaby

Great Fall Picture!

Posted by Kristy:  Happy Mole Day!  Karen and I found this guy in Perry Park on our way back from hiking.  Hilarious!

Rocktober

Posted by Kristy:  I'm borrowing the popular phrase from last year's Cinderella MLB team to describe the fun I've had with my students this month.  My kids have primarily studied Earth Science (another reason to call it "Rocktober") through labs, projects and activities.  The three big events for the month were the Pet Rock Concert, Mole Day and a field study of Mitchell Canyon. 

The Pet Rock Concert is a project during which the students adopt a pet rock, identify it, research it, and then compose and perform a poem about it.  The kids brought in coffee shop snacks and did a fantastic job with their performances.  Click on the thumbnails for some pictures and the video for some of the more entertaining poems.

 

We are also currently in the early stages of a field study.  I have an awesome canyon in walking distance from my school.  It takes us 10 minutes to get there, which makes the study a perfect activity for block schedule days.  During the first phase, the students make initial observations and generate some possible study questions.  After I cover a bit more material, they are going to select a question and try to answer the question based on research and collected data. 

Kids these days are absolutely suffering from "nature deficiency".  I love labs like this because I get to watch the kids morph from being pre-teens who are moderately interested in being out of the classroom into a group of beginning naturalists who are scrambling around, trying to figure out why things look they way they do.  They love it! 

 

Mole Day is actually October 23rd from 6:02 am until 6:02 pm.  That date falls during our fall break so we celebrated early!  My teammates, who I regularly drag into my schemes (Bless their hearts), were totally supportive of our science holiday.  Each of them used the holiday to drive their instruction for the day.  The Language Arts teacher had the kids create poems, the Social Studies guy taught them about this history and how to re-write history, the Math teacher taught scientific notation, and I don't know what the gym teacher (who really does?) did but he said that he would come up with something!  Our team of 130 students also brought in a Mole Day theme potluck lunch.  We had guacaMOLE, pepperMOLE pizza, doughnut MOLES, MOLEtain Dew, etc.  The lunch was extremely chaotic (How can it not be when trying to feed 130 13 year olds?) but everyone enjoyed themselves.  Speaking of enjoying, please have fun with the Mole Day video below!

Andy's West Point Reunion

Posted by Kristy:  Fall break is here!  I'm planning to camp, hike, relax, and visit the Rue Family Farm in LV.  The time off also affords me the opportunity to catch up on a little blogging.

Last weekend, Andy and I went to West Point for his 15 year reunion.  He likes to say that it took him that long to be willing to return.  In fact, as soon as we stepped on the plane, he reverted into study mode, pouring over books in preparation for work in addition to the reunion.  The stress disappeared as soon as we arrived at the OCF Fellowship House, where we were graciously hosted by Barb and Barry Willey.  Thanks, guys!

Our schedule included all of the traditional activities:  A semi-formal banquet, an "Old Grad" march-on and cadet review, and a game at Michie Stadium - during which we witnessed the elusive Army win!  Additionally, we spent ample time exploring the historic post, including Fort Putnam, Trophy Point and the main part of campus. 

Our time together at the reunion provided us the chance to share memories with each turn and step. As it turns out, my West Point experience differed greatly from Andy's.  He described the constant need to study, scavenging for food from tailgaters in the parking lots after football games, and avoiding hazing  from the upper classmen (can you say "jock-strap football?).  Meanwhile, I told him about sailing miniature sailboats on Lusk Reservoir, camping with the cadet riding club, hosting OCF cadet breakfasts, going to every game at Michie Stadium (by my own choice) and swimming and fishing in the various ponds.  Being an elementary school student at West Point is way more fun than being a college student!

Andy has since decided that visiting West Point as an alumnus is pretty fun.  I think we'll go back for the next reunion!  Click on the thumbnails below to see some of our pics from the trip. 

Governor Palin is a good sport!

Sarah Palin appeared on SNL last night and played her parts perfectly!  It was hilarious - especially Jason Sudeikis as Todd and Amy Poehler selling the rap in the second clip.